Is your once cute, cuddly, and well-behaved pup suddenly acting out? Is your dog ignoring you, taking off if he sees something interesting, and chewing on everything in sight? Did his perfect “sit,” “down,” “stay” and “come” disappear overnight? Are his friendly, social ways being replaced with rowdy, over-the-top greetings? Is he sometimes cautious or… [Read More]
Welcome to Ruffly Speaking.
I hope you enjoy my blog. My goal is to get people thinking, talking and exploring a wide variety of dog-related topics. Please let me know what you think!
20 Fun Rainy Day Activities for You and Your Dog
As I write this blog post, it is pouring rain outside and has been for the better part of the last week. We walk in the rain, play in the rain, and even do some training in the rain. But having a young dog in the house, I know spending the day cooped up can… [Read More]
3 Reasons You Should Never Punish Your Dog for Growling
A dog growling, that low rumble, no one wants to hear it! It is not uncommon for a student or client to ask me how they should correct their dog for growling at someone or something. Let me tell you now: Please, please, don’t punish your dog for growling!! Here are 3 reasons why not.
Dogs Need To Be Dogs–But a Little Attention Never Hurt Anyone!
Have you ever considered the synonyms for attention? Consideration, kindness, thoughtfulness, responsiveness and of course devotion. Attention skills can foster these wonderful characteristics. People express consideration, kindness, and devotion to their dogs when they give them attention. Dogs who are offering attention to their person are often more thoughtful and responsive—extremely important traits when we talk… [Read More]
Make “Come” Fun!
Come is a serious behavior. We want our dogs to come to keep them safe and to keep us sane. Why should we make it more fun? Shouldn’t they just listen to us? Shouldn’t they come just because we say so? Well, perhaps in an ideal world, yes, it would be easiest if they came… [Read More]
Excitable Dogs Can Learn Impulse Control!
We’ve all seen dogs who exude impulse control—they are calm in the face of excitement and patient when it comes to getting what they want. Of course we’ve all seen those dogs who are lacking impulse control too—dogs who can’t seem to handle excitement and become overexcited, pushy, or reactive. Sometimes that lack of impulse… [Read More]
Do You Experience Ups and Downs in Your Dog Training?
Have you ever had this experience? Your training or behavior plan is moving forward. You are doing well. Your dog is responding. Life is getting better. Then all of a sudden, everything falls apart and it seems like you are back to square one. I certainly have. This week, my dog has taken a turn… [Read More]
Let’s Talk About Off-Leash Etiquette
Boy, my dog loves to run off leash—tearing down the beach, chasing her ball in the park, or romping through the tall grasses on hikes. In the central coast area—Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties—we have limited areas where dogs are allowed off leash. And this can sometimes be tough when you have a dog that… [Read More]
Help, My Dog Is a Barkaholic!
My dog Shadow is a barkaholic. If there were a 12-step program for such a condition, she would surely be a good candidate to attend. She likes to bark when she is happy and excited, when she is concerned, when she would like something from us, when something surprises her, when other dogs bark, and… [Read More]
Puppies–Starting Off on the Right Paw!
I started my training career almost 20 years ago working with a wonderful young woman and her new puppy. I was so excited to have discovered clicker training that I wanted to share it with the world! And what could be better than playing with a puppy, socializing it, and yes, teaching beginning behaviors using positive… [Read More]